Play Tips

* Safety first. Be sure furniture is rounded and sturdy. Secure bookshelves and TV stands so they won't tip. Childproof electric outlets and shorten cords on window blinds. Be sure toys are age-appropriate.

* Organize a playroom into different areas or play stations, similar to a child's classroom. For example, one area can be used for blocks and building toys, another for art materials and another for dress-up play, said Candie Frankel, author of ``Babies and Childrens' Rooms'' (Friedman/Fairfax Publishers, $12.95).

* Store toys in containers such as plastic shoeboxes or clean coffee cans with lids. Plastic tubs are great for puzzle pieces, art supplies and miniature toys, said Stevanne Auerbach, director for the Institute for Childhood Resources, who offers extensive advice about toys in the Dr. Toy Guide magazine or at www.drtoy.com.

* Let children transform large boxes or a white sheet over a coffee table into a child-sized veterinarian's office, a playhouse, a firehouse, a grocery store or a puppet theater. Provide some accessories, like a firefighter's hat, a stethoscope, stuffed animals, puppets, empty food cartons, matching coupons, a child-sized grocery cart or a toy cash register.

* Borrow ideas from books and magazines. Imaginative indoor playrooms with indoor jungle gyms offer children a respite on a rainy day. Some books offer detailed plans, others only a photograph. Those with the time and ability can do it themselves. Others can seek help from local builders, carpenters and architects.

* Simple toys, such as blocks and puzzles, are best, experts say. Even your throw-aways can be a child's treasures, such as old clothes, shoes and pocketbooks, said Diane Trister Dodge, president of Teaching Strategies Inc. and coauthor of ``Preschool for Parents'' (Sourcebooks, 1998). Although the toy industry reported $22.58 billion in sales in 1997, according to the Toy Manufacturers of America Inc., toys such as building blocks, crayons, paper and clay can provide hours of imaginative play and not cost a lot of money. Even empty cardboard boxes can be transformed into a train station, a fire station, a house or a grocery store.

* Give children your time, the opportunity to play and recognition for what they accomplish, said John Covey, spokesman for his brother's book, ``The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families,'' (Golden Books, $15). He encourages parents to make it a habit to play and read with their children each day.